She Has No Time
by P.O.J.A
Summary: Returning to her arms was all I ever wanted. The sentiment, however, was one she did not share. Seto/Seren one-shot. Sequel to "Wake Up Alone".


**Disclaimer: If I owned this show or song, I would be swimming in millions. Sadly, that's not the case :(**

**A/N: **By popular demand (I think x3) the inspiration to conjure up the complementary fic to "Wake up Alone" has struck gold and it has been written! It took me a while to find the right song, but sure enough it came. There is something eerie and melodramatic about "She has no time" by Keane that truly struck a chord in my mind and enabled me to tap into that level of creativity needed to produce this piece. Prior to choosing this song I also drowned myself in a Paramore favourite of mine, "All I wanted", and I must credit it for placing me in the right mindset to make this story even stronger; I can only hope this piece suits its predecessor :) And finally, special SPECIAL thanks to fellow former reader, reviewer, author, and dear friend on this site, **sandsnowstorm**, for encouraging this piece in the first place. Thanks for providing that extra push to go forward with it. Note once again, some language is slipped in there so it's a bit PG-13, but nothing too frequent.

So please enjoy reading, send a review, and let me know how I did!

Translation note: _"xiansheng" = "sir/mister" _in Chinese

**She Has No Time**

_**You think your days are uneventful  
>And no one ever thinks about you<br>She goes her own way  
>She goes her own way<strong>_

"Cheers!"

The clinking of glasses against each other symbolized the revolution that had finally been made a reality for my company. It took us five gruelling months to achieve success, but with the efficient assistance of my associates in China, KaibaCorp was ready to launch its line of duel disks and holographic stadiums across the lands. The air was filled with merriment and the rich aroma of expensive cigars and liquor, and the once peaceful atmosphere of the restaurant was now tainted with hearty laughter and slaps across the back as everyone celebrated our prosperous achievement.

"Kaiba boy you've done it again! It amazes me every time how one as young as yourself is able to devote the time necessary to achieve such success. Heaven knows even during my golden years I couldn't help but be seduced into straying from the stresses of company life, you know, take some time off to enjoy the luxuries of the life we lead" and the bulky man released a laugh that boomed from his diaphragm as a woman young enough to be his granddaughter draped herself over his lap, offering him another cigar much to his delight. He was no different than the other sick bastards in the room, too busy familiarizing themselves with the female company that recently entered our private booth rather than reviewing the finalities of our signed contract.

"Well Mr. Wong, I try my best to stay level-headed amidst the many distractions that may come my way. I have my brother to thank for ensuring I stay on track—"

"Is your brother the only person in your life Mr. Kaiba? For a man of your stature, I'd assume the local ladies would be fawning over you day in and out. Surely there must be a keeper amongst the many beautiful women in your country?"

Of course there is. She's 5 ft. 4" with long auburn hair made of silk, hazel pools that drown you in their beauty, and a petit body toned from her nightly jogs around campus.

"None that suit my needs or taste."

"Ah, that's a shame for Japan then. Maybe one of our local women might be able to meet your requirements, perhaps? You shouldn't let a good woman go to waste," and with that comment he nuzzled warmly into the neck of the young woman still on his lap, whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

"I'm a businessman first Mr. Wong, and as you all can witness, a successful one at that. I rather decline on mixing business with pleasure least I potentially ruin the profit I worked hard for." Chew on that piece of advice you horny bastard.

"To each his own," he toasted with his snifter of brandy.

The air no longer carried the sweet undertones as before, as more women continued to pour in from God knows where, bringing with them the strong scent of heightened pheromones. Rosy dispositions graced the faces of the men in the room, coupled with ridiculous smiles and lustful stares at the skimpily clad locals whose sole purpose was clear; they came to offer their bodily services, at a fine price no less.

I had no need for such distasteful desires, so I kindly pardoned myself and retreated to my suite for the night, anticipating the passing of the two weeks I had left in this country so I could at last return to _her_.

Upon entering my bedroom I noticed a letter gently resting on the bed's edge. In an instant the memory flooded my mind of the last time such a scene graced my eyes; it was the letter I wrote informing her of my departure. God I miss her so much!

"Kaiba-xiansheng?" a delicate voice called out to me from the bathroom in the master suite. Wearing nothing but a baby doll kimono tied in a manner that revealed most of her bosom, the young girl peered from her position in my bathroom before threading lightly to the bed and sitting next to the letter before handing it to me to read.

_On the house, my treat. – Wong._

How thoughtful of you Mr. Wong to treat me with the same filth I was feverishly trying to rid myself of in your presence. I flung the paper disgustingly at the girl, giving her a gaze with stone cold eyes that read plainly "get the hell out". However, she seemed determined to fulfil her duties before departing my room despite the fact that her body was trembling like a leaf in fear at the man before her.

"Kaiba-xiansheng...I...um...would you rather a massage then? I offer many services other than desires of the flesh. I could...I could make you some tea if you like?"

How naive was this girl, and bold no less to even think about proposing such a thing to me. She stood her ground eagerly anticipating an answer she could only hope was affirmative, but she would receive none. Yet again she allowed her audacity to get the better of her as she made her way to the drinks cart and began to make the tea she so kindly offered, looking over in my direction ever so often in a sort of personal confirmation that her decision was the right one.

Her innocence was screaming out at my primal instincts to take hold of that which I had been forcibly denied for the past few months, lush pink lips slightly moist as her tongue gently flicked over it, daring me to ravish them with my own. Her supple breasts seemed to ache for the touch and feel of my hands caressing them and my mouth pleasing them, as they slightly toppled over the garment the more she moved to collect items for her tea making. And those eyes...they spoke volumes of the torment she had undergone to reach here. More than likely she was sold to be a mistress, plunged head first into a despicable world of cheap sex and drugs, surviving by any means necessary. As innocent as she looked, there lay a woman before me blessed with the wisdom of street rat, and the agenda to go.

I gave her the benefit of my kindness for once and entertained the idea of a warm massage, but if she thinks for a second I'm consuming her smut, she's dead wrong.

"Your tea Kaiba-xiansheng," she offered with a gracious bow. Without a word of thanks I accepted the cup and placed it neatly on the nearest end table; it was highly spiced, and as delectable as it smelled I trusted it as much as I trusted Gozaburo. Taking off my jacket I threw it on the bed before taking a seat on the lounge chair beside one of the end tables, waiting for the young maiden to take the hint that her massaging was to be conducted there. Much to my surprise, she took the hint well.

Nimble fingers affirmed themselves onto my shoulders, gently, but with enough pressure to conduct the massage. She then worked her magic on my neck, kneading the tension away from the area with her thumbs and dragging it downward back onto my shoulders, allowing all her fingers to apply their individual pressures once again stimulating a sensation of utter relaxation. I released a silent moan, one that her ears seemed to have fine tuned to as she used my state of repose as an excuse to conduct conversation with me.

"Would Kaiba-xiansheng like to tell Meiling about his life in Japan?"

"No he would not." She seemed taken aback by the curt response as her fingers briefly paused their ministrations, but quickly dismissed it and reverted to a new strategy of trying to engage me in talk.

"I've heard nothing but good things about Japan. I also heard Wong-zhu speak about your contribution to their economy. You must be a very important person there, Kaiba-xiansheng." Her tongue slithered out my name with a sensual undertone, teasing the tips of my ears with the warmth of pure seduction. Like the viper she was, she struck at her prey head on, swiftly sliding her hands from my shoulders to my chest to unfasten a few more buttons of my shirt and allowing the very tip of her tongue to graze the nape of my neck.

I grabbed hard at her wrist and prevented them from venturing further than they already did; this woman actually thought her art of seduction would have worked on me...disgusting creature.

"Kaiba-xiansheng, you're hurting me," she cried out as she tried to pry my grip with her free hand.

"Leave now if you want to walk out of here with both wrists intact."

In no time the wench had left, sobbing as she rubbed the wrist my fingers left their imprint on. I exhaled a breath I hadn't known I was holding, and comfortable that I was truly alone now I finished where her disrobing began and made my way to the shower, turning the hot water on high wanting to burn off the area where her foul tongue had rested momentarily. Standing under the scorching water receiving my just punishment, I began to realize the more I stayed away from _her,_ the more corrupt I was becoming; no different to the men I was doing business with.

Truth be told, despite my initial repulsions towards the girl, I was on the verge of claiming her as my own; her expert massage and the alluring body oils she wore had my primal senses frenzied, and had I only drunk her spiced tea I was sure I would have been possessed to the point of no return until I received ultimate bodily gratification.

My stay was overdone, I knew that now, and with a brief fax to Mr. Wong I packed my things and quietly left the hotel.

I was going back home, back home to _her_.

_**You think your days are ordinary  
>And no one ever thinks about you<br>But we're all the same  
>And she can hardly breathe without you<br>**_

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in. How may I be of service to you tonight?" the woman politely greeted, a sinister smile painted across thin lips as she continued to clean the glass in her hand, eyes fixating their gaze on me.

"You can start by sharing a drink with me. Jose Cuervo, and skip the condiments." Her eyes widened a bit, shocked that I would so casually ask to share a moment with her considering the bitter taste I left in her mouth from our last encounter. However in no time she regained her composure as she gathered our drinks, silently plotting her revenge no doubt.

"Shall we toast?" she asked, somewhat uneasy at the fact that I was sincere in my offer. She received but a small tug at the corners of my lips before I clanked my glass against hers and downed the harsh liquid. Taking the cue, she did the same, but sadly she couldn't stop her face from squirming at the burning sensation of straight tequila. Good, a little drunken exchange between us should give me the honest answers I want.

"Where is she?" I coolly said, asking for yet another shot. She declined joining me this time, however that ominous look from before returned despite the heat rising to her face.

"Ah, no wonder you came here. Well, if it's mind-blowing sex you're interested in, I'm your gal," she replied with a flirtatious wink to go.

"I'll pass on the STDs if you don't mind. Now tell me, where is she?"

My retort infuriated her to no end as she banged a clenched hand against the table separating the both of us, fighting earnestly to control her temper least she make more of a scene among her customers.

"You fucking asshole..." she silently swore as she turned away from me briefly to calm herself, running her hands swiftly through her silky dark hair before facing me once again. "Why should I tell you where she is? You insult me at my job and I'm supposed to do you a favour?"

"Hmm...valid point there. Then again, if I'm holding all the cards, you have no choice in the matter now do you?" Her quizzical look was full of suspicion, prompting me to keep talking before she considered herself hook, line and sinker.

"I presume your indiscretions with your customers and fellow staff is old news to your manager, not so? Let me guess, the slight dilation of your pupils that you're so fervently trying to contain says otherwise. So let's not make this more difficult than it has to be and you can just tell me where she is."

Unfolding her arms, she stormed off towards the backroom, returning with a small call card in hand.

"Fuck you Mr. Kaiba" and she threw the small card towards me, the paper gliding smoothly along the granite countertop. "She left two weeks after you stopped coming here, returning only once to tell me about her new job and gave me this. Now if you're done screwing around with me, I have work to do." She didn't give me another second to spare as she tended to a man that just arrived, a welcoming smile replacing the sordid contortion it was formerly in.

* * *

><p><em><strong>She says she has no time<br>For you now**_

'_Kaede's Tea Shop' _the dilapidated sign read at the door post. The building was quaint, with the peeling paint and old flower pots adoring the wrap-around banister serving as a reminder of the harsh nature of time. I stepped inside, and a tiny bell at the apex of the door signalled my entrance to the owner. A busty woman in her late sixties sprung forth from the back room, eager to greet her guest. By the hearty smile she presented I'd say she was either starving for customers, or simply too jovial for my taste.

"Good-day dear sir, my name is Madame Kaede and welcome to my tea shop. We specialize in a variety of herbal teas for various needs, and we also have complementary spices—"

"I just came to look for someone." I silenced her rambling with a raised palm as I continued, "I was told she works here; her name is Serenity."

The woman waited patiently for me to finish my sentence, even being so bold as to ask, "Well does she have a last name?" The odds of another person named 'Serenity' working in this tiny rundown place was slim to none, yet she insisted on having me utter a word so foul it sickens me to no end when I remember where her roots stem.

I bit back hard as I uttered most hesitantly, "...Wheeler...Serenity Wheeler." I was surprised I didn't break a tooth in the process considering the force used to suppress my displeasure.

"Oh my darling Serenity, of course she works here! I just had to make sure you weren't randomly trying to pick up one of my gals now" and she offered a bright smile to compensate for the torture she put me through a while back. She would receive none from me.

"May I speak with her please, if that's not too much trouble?" I said with more irritation than I wanted to reveal.

"Oh I'm sorry young man, but she's didn't come in today. Poor thing was so under the weather when she called...I don't know why she insists on working in her condition; young women these days..." and in a low voice the woman continued to ramble on about nonsensical things I had no time to decipher.

"Just...give her this when next she comes to work. Tell her it's urgent." I handed the old woman a business card, and she stared at it like a child who'd just been given a present.

"I shall Mr..." she scanned the card quickly, trying her best to search for the name until she found it. "Kaiba! Ah yes, sure thing Mr. Kaiba, I'll make sure this gets to Serenity first thing when she comes in. This girl really knows a lot of handsome men in high places, doesn't she?" The latter half of the sentence I presume wasn't meant for my ears, but it didn't stop me from fine tuning to it. Did it mean that she had other men visiting her during work?

"Would you like something else young man? I have a variety of herbal tea leaves and—"

"I'll pass thanks." Not wanting to endure another rant to gain a purchase, I quickly left the store and dialled my secretary. She had her work cut out for her now that I was back, not to mention a few personal errands I needed her to run with regards to Serenity's whereabouts.

* * *

><p><em><strong>She says she has no time<strong>_

"_You've reached Serenity Wheeler's number. I'm sorry that I can't take your call right now, but please leave a message and I'll get back to you—"_

No you won't, you've yet to even make an attempt to reach me. I slammed the receiver down hard onto its hook, frustrated at having once again gotten as far as her answering machine for the tenth time that week. Even my impromptu visits to her new apartment were in vain as she was either not in yet, or had just left. Those ingrates are either covering for her or are more incompetent that I give them credit for. What infuriates me more is why...why is she refusing to take my calls? Why is she in fucking hiding from me?

And here I am, like a damn fool chasing after a girl blatantly avoiding me. I've reduced myself to pathetic means of the average man, and I will _not_ sit here and have her continuously embarrass me like this!

No one makes a fool out of Seto Kaiba and gets away with it, not ever her.

_**You think about the lonely people  
>Or think about the day she found you<br>Or lie to yourself  
>And see it all dissolve around you<br>**_

"Oh hello there Mr. Kaiba, have I finally piqued your interest in my herbal tea? Because you're such a handsome young man, I'll make you a special offer on our gyokuro leaves and throw in some ginger at half the price," the woman beamed at me, and without giving me a second to answer she began skimming through the shelves for the desired box of tea leaves.

"Not today Madame Kaede; I think you know why I'm here." The curt response got through to her, and with a sullen face she dusted her hands on her apron and replied, "I'll go get her, she should be in the back doing inventory today."

A part of me felt a little sorry for the lack of respect I gave the elderly woman, but my matters with Serenity were more pressing than offering good manners.

"I'm sorry Mr. Kaiba, but it according to my other employee it seems she took her lunch break early today."

"You're telling me she simply left without informing her superior of her whereabouts? With all due respect Madame Kaede, your management skills are much to be desired."

"I beg your pardon young man, how dare you address an elder in such a manner, and in her own establishment no less! Don't think for one second that your prestige is far more important than courtesy to those that have helped raise you and your fellow generation!"

"On second thought, I think I'll take you up on that offer. Two boxes of gyokuro if you may, and feel free to throw in that ginger." I cut her ranting short with a request she simply couldn't refuse, and flashing a sweet smile for good measure her way was surely enough to get the woman to shut up, happily grant my request and allow me to leave the store with my sanity in tact. There's nothing worse than a grandmother quarrelling about the youth of today's society.

Returning to the limo, I hopped in and asked the driver to take me to one of my usual restaurants, whichever was closest to this district. If Serenity thought she was getting away that easily, she was wrong. I figured I'd kill some time myself working on some statistics and feeding my growing appetite in the process, but the traffic brewing from the approaching lunch hour only served to fuel my irritation rather than my hunger.

I couldn't function properly with the muffled sound of horns blowing simultaneously, a wasteful attempt that only frustrated drivers instead of alleviating the congestion on the road. With nothing better to do, I closed my laptop for the while and lazily stared at my surroundings for a change, admiring how much the economy had evolved since the last time I was granted a moment to appreciate the world I had a hand in ruling.

The car began creeping forward a bit, its speed increasing with each meter crossed. It seemed that law enforcement finally arrived on the scene to help clear the chaos on the road; took them long enough. Before I could return to my laptop, a flash of long, auburn hair caught my eyes and brought my attention back to the street.

We stopped at a traffic light adjacent to where she stood, giving me a chance to see the petit girl window shopping outside a maternity store, her long tresses flowing with the gentle sway of the breeze. She was wearing what looked like a white, patterned sundress; a little too casual for work attire if you ask me, but all things considered it suited the tea shop environment. That is, if the girl was indeed Serenity. But who else could it be, I know that frame all too well for it to be anyone else. If only she would turn around...

My wish was granted as she turned her head to greet a man approaching her. I recognized him as being one of the geek squad members, the quiet runt that hid in the shadows of all their friendship speeches. He was also a regular in her Literature class, a name that never failed to escape her lips when she spoke about her day. Bakura...what are you still doing around my woman? More importantly, why are the both of you standing outside a store like that?

More questions answered as she made a 90 degree turn to face the man, allowing him to rub a belly big with child and assumingly coo at the foetus growing inside. He then motioned for her to accept a small shopping bag he had with him, revealing an outfit for the baby that she gladly modelled across her stomach. Her face was glowing, and he was beaming right back at her.

The light turned green, and there was nothing I could do to wipe the smug smiles off their faces.

_**She says she has no time  
>For you now<strong>_

Unable to digest even a morsel of my food, I hurried back to that damn tea shop, sick to my stomach at what I saw earlier. I left for five months, toiling away endlessly to return to her side; no wonder she never returned my calls. The little whore was too ashamed to face me, to confront me with that monstrosity growing inside of her! Five months...was that really too long to ask her to wait for me? Is this is the kind of good grace the gods bestow upon me for being chaste to the only woman I ever cared about, to find her knocked up by another man?

Not wasting another second, I waited till the hour passed that she was expected back and stormed inside the place, trying my hardest to contain the rage boiling within.

"Cut the small talk, where is she Madame Kaede?" I demanded, slamming both my hands down onto the counter for emphasis.

"Hold your horses Mr. Kaiba, I haven't seen her since she left. No need to be so impatient." Scurrying off to retrieve the girl, she returned longer than she should have to report her whereabouts.

"She hasn't returned yet Mr. Kaiba." The old woman fumbled with the ends of her apron as she spoke; she was definitely hiding something.

"Hn...I see. I'll take my leave then, thanks again for your assistance," was the stoic reply.

"Maybe tomorrow, Mr. Kaiba?" Madame Kaede called out to me as I was halfway out the door. I laughed softly to myself, and merely tossed a "maybe" right back at her as I exited the door.

I searched the outside for the back entrance and found it, deciding to wait in that vicinity till she came out since it seemed to be her preferred choice of entry into the building. She wasn't off the hook, oh no. This game of cat and mouse was ending today, whether she liked it or not.

It took all of 20 minutes for her to finally step outside with a bag of garbage at hand, her body wobbling a bit as it tried to manoeuvre the hefty bag into the tall public disposal bin; the additional weight she was carrying made simple tasks such as taking out the trash more difficult.

"It's been a while Red," I casually said as I watched her startled frame turn to find the familiar sound. There was a tree not too far from the shop that I decided to pose against as I waited for her arrival outside. "Took you long enough to get out."

"Kaiba...I...what are you doing here?" she asked with more anger than confusion lacing her voice.

"I finished sooner than expected, so I figured I would have surprised you when I returned. It seems however, that you're the one full of surprises," was the smug reply, a devious smile painted across my lips as I watched her fumble with her emotions, unsure of what to say. Her hands then idly rubbed against her stomach as though mocking my retort to her, but I kept my calm despite the anger inside desperately wanting to lash out against her.

_**She says she has no time  
>For you now<br>She says she has no time **_

"You know, I found it rather strange when Kimiko handed me a business card about a tea shop and told me that's where you worked now. I half-expected you to be deep in the city or even in another country, working hard at what you studied so vehemently to become. And instead of finding Serenity, Domino Museum's new curator, I found the local whore, tied down to a miniscule life because she couldn't keep her legs closed."

It came hard and furious, and whilst my words were more than deserving of the slap, the reddening of my cheek was nothing compared to the grief she put me through, and she needed to feel every ounce of my wrath after what she did.

"You bastard, how dare you call me such a foul name!" In all her anger, she couldn't stop the tears from falling, tears that I only hoped were signs of her guilt, tears that I wanted her to drown in.

"It suits the being in front of me, wouldn't you agree?" I caught her wrist firmly in my hand before she could make another assault, and wrung it away from me. It hurt enough for her not to try it again, and subdued her so that we could at last conduct the conversation she'd been avoiding for the past two weeks.

"So do you even know who the father is?" I mockingly joked, earning another scowl from the wench.

"What does it matter to you? It's none of your business or your concern, so just leave me alone. You never had a problem doing that when you were here," she bitterly added antagonizing me further, but I would not give her the satisfaction of revealing my anger.

"I'm sure your brother must be so proud of you right now."

Her head shot up as the words were spoken, and with fire blazing in her eyes she growled, "You leave my brother out of this."

"There were so many ways you could have hurt him; the mention of my name alone would have sufficed. Course, knowing you did more moaning of my name rather than just casually uttering it would have been an even sweeter way of driving that stake through his heart. So tell me Serenity, how did he feel when he saw you pregnant right out of college? All your hard work gone down the drain in an instant, the better life he hoped for you shattered by such a simple mistake. It makes more sense now as to why you've gone so far out from the city where your friends and family are; the shame at how you've thrown your life away for a moment of pleasure eventually consumed your conscience, didn't it? My dick just wasn't enough, you ungrateful woman."

She just stood there, eyes bloodshot and silent tears still streaming down her face. Her spirit was weakened and she could no longer fight the truth coming from my mouth. I had defeated her, but I still wasn't done yet.

"You disgust me Serenity...I actually thought you were better than that slut your brother calls wife. Mai trained you well, though a little lesson on birth control would have come in handy." I watched her continue to suppress her sobs, her body shaking from the impact of trying to contain her emotions. That stubborn streak I loved about her is still there, but there's no love to be given to someone undeserving like her. Not a thought to be wasted anymore.

"Humph...save your tears for someone who gives a damn, I have nothing more to do with a creature like you." The damage was done, and I had my business to return to.

No further words were exchanged as I left her there to wallow in her pity, now free of the bonds that brought me back to her.

_**Lonely people tumble downwards  
>And my heart opens up to you<br>When she says  
>She has no time<br>For you now**_

The digital clock made its hourly beep for the fourth time since I first came to my study quarters to work on upgrading the specs of the duelling arena holograms at Kaiba Land. Glancing at it briefly as it demanded I did when the hour came, I saw it was now three in the morning, giving me three more hours of rest before I must return to KaibaCorp for business as usual. I'm ashamed to say for the ungodly duration that I've been up I've hardly done anything worthy of calling "progress".

She remained on my mind no matter how hard I try to burn her image out of my brain. And it's the same images flashing again and again; the flush of her cheeks when I make a suggestive remark during her working hours at the bar, her face in pure bliss as we share yet another moment of euphoric sex, the angelic smile she wears when she falls asleep in my arms, and the despair in her eyes hot with tears as I slaughter her word for word for the damage she had done to what we had.

That tight feeling in my chest returned again as I lingered on the thoughts, and I fight it once again as hard as I've done this entire night, but it wins this round and forces what it so desired my heart to feel the entire time.

Tears...they have fallen for the first time since my parents died, and they continue to moisten my eyes in all their mirth having been imprisoned behind lids for so long, the hurt I've masked with my fury mingling and dancing about merrily as it escaped with the droplets.

No, this nonsense needed to end now! I won't shed another drop for her, not after the way she betrayed my love. I violently rubbed away at my face with the sleeve of my shirt, ensuring not a wet stain of my debility was left.

Absentmindedly I glanced at a photograph of Mokuba and myself when we were younger, one taken not too long after we arrived at the orphanage. It is then I remembered his words when I first inquired about his more-than-usual cheerful disposition when he and Rebecca Hawkins became an item; "love is the greatest feeling of all Seto. It can't always be explained, but when you feel it, your whole being just never felt...so warm, and happy, when that person you care about the most feels the same way."

I beg to differ dear brother, for it's the greatest pain I've ever felt.

_**She says she has no time  
>For you now<strong>_

* * *

><p>The screams and laughter of children and adults alike filled the floors for the biannual "buy two tickets get two free" special I recently promoted in Kaiba Land. It never fails to encourage the already loyal patrons to visit more, something the company can always appreciate.<p>

An email from my smartphone halted my routine perusing of the place; it was from the CEO of Sony Japan, Nakagawa-san himself, inviting me to dine with him and his daughter, Airi, yet again, an offer I rarely refused since Airi's presence is most pleasing to the eyes and ears of an intellect such as myself. And let's not forget our private dinner dates also prove to be a most pleasurable experience.

In the midst of confirming my attendance, a little girl no more than four years of age slammed straight into my legs whilst trying to chase her friends around the park grounds in some foolish children's game no less. She's lucky I had a firm grip on my phone; I'd hate to see the look on her parents' face when I inform them how much it would cost to replace a customized android such as mine.

"Sumimasen!" she politely apologized, brilliant cerulean eyes brimming with her jollity shining back at my own, cold ones. Eyes that were frightening familiar to me.

The more I studied the child, the more my heart rate increased. Her short choppy locks were a cocktail of chestnut naturally streaked with a reddish-brown that could only be described as auburn, and the smile she wore was a smile I had long locked away in the abyss I now call my heart.

"Hitomi!" her mother called out to her from a distance. The child flashed me one last bright smile before running off to meet her mother, and I followed her tracks until my eyes confirmed what my mind had been theorizing the entire time.

For a brief moment our eyes locked as she looked at the person whom her child had troubled, and I looked at the woman who I never wanted to see again. However, that feeling from long ago changed when I saw her this time, and a new pain clutched at my throat as I tried to wrap my mind around what was really happening.

I'm not spared a second glance her way as in no time she took hold of her child and got lost within the huge crowd of patrons, leaving me to the solitude she claimed I damned her to.

A flood of emotions took siege of my being as I busily tried to find her again, shoving my way through hoards of people but to no avail. All the harsh words I ever told her replayed in my mind, and I could only stare at the spot where she last stood with anger, confusion, and hurt.

Why couldn't she have told me from before...why couldn't she have just said the child...was mine...?

_**She says she has no time.**_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: Thanks as always to my beta, Most Unlikely Angel, for helping me improve my writing.<strong>

I also wanted to comment on my choice of song. Most times the line "she says she has no time" seems misplaced because the story doesn't read as Serenity's neglect of Kaiba, rather his feelings towards her during his stay in China and after his return to Japan. However, it should be kept in mind in the end of "Wake Up Alone" she came to the revelation that her "relationship" with Kaiba was a fancy played in her head, and thus she gave up on a future with him after he continuously left her alone. Thus, the line should be considered a reiteration of her feelings throughout it all, and the reason why she takes his hurtful words rather than rebutting, because quite frankly she has no time for him anymore, not after the way he hurt her in the beginning.

So that's it for now, I hope you guys enjoyed it, and please feel free to share your thoughts! :)


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